Razor-blade-sharpening device



Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,323

` R. C. G. STAATS-OELS RAZOR BLADE SHARPENING DEVICE INVENTOR RUDOLPH C.GST/Cin 723 05m ATTORN EYS Patented Dee. 2s, 1926.

UNITED vsiisfrias 'PATENT oFFicE.

V RUDOLPH C. G. STAATS-OELS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

RAZOR-BLADE-SHARPENIN G DEVICE'.

Application filed November 28, 1924. Serial No. 752,548.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for sharpening safetyrazor blades and the like, and has for one of its objects to provide animproved device of this nature whichl is simple and practical inconstruction and-by means of which a razor blade may be eiectively andeasily sharpened.

Another object is to mount the sharpening rollers in the casing or bodyof the device and to supporta razor blade in association therewith insuch manner that pressure of the rollers against the bladey will betrates preferred embodiments of tlieinve'n'-y tive idea.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a perspective Jview of one form l -o theinvention, showing arazor blade in position to be sharpened;

Figure 2 is a transverse section. of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure showinga diierent form; v vFigure 4 is a fragmentary verticallongitudinal section of the form shown in Figure 3; and taken on theline 4.--4 'of said figure;

Figure 5 is a transverse section of still another form 'of theinvention;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the blade isengaged by the sharpening rollers;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional View through one form of blade holderWhichl may be employed in connection withthe invention; and l `Figure 8is another form of blade holder. Referring to the drawing and more partic'ul'arly toFigure's 1 and 2, the device is shown` as comprising arectangular casing l0 made of 'any suitable material and having a handle11, projecting-from one end thereof which will permit ot the devicebeing readily grasped in the hand and adjustedto `any desired positionwhensharpe-ning afblade. Ex-

3 is a view similar to Figure 2 'tending throughout the interior of thecasing 10 is a pair of partitions 12. Radially disposed with respect tothe longitudinal axis of the casingand intersecting on a line coincidentwith said axis to provide a pluralit7 of compartments 13, 14, 15 and 16,each of triangular formation.

Contained Withinr the compartments are sets of sharpening rollers 17,18, 19 and 20 of different characteristics, the rollers 17 and '18 beingpreferably made of stone and steel, respectively, While .the sets ofrollers 19 and 2O are covered with different kinds dof leather which aidin the sharpening ofl the razor. 'The rollers of each set are loosely,journaled inthe ends of the casing 10 yfor lateral movement thereinwith respect to f their longitudinal axes sopas to permit the rollers ofeach set t o have' a certain amount of movement relativev to each other.The

rollers are normally supported Within the casing sideby sideintheposition shown fin Figure'2 with their-'surfaces in engagement With-leach other andare assisted in maintaining tliis'position by the portionsof the partitions 12 which form the inner Wall of the respectivecompartments in which the ments and' which also forms one side of thecasing 10 isprovided throughout its length with `a slot 21 thelongitudinal edges of lwhich are inturned to form the ianges 22. Theinner -edges of said flanges are designed to contact 'the surface of oneof the adjacent sharpening rollers to further aid in supporting the'rollerin its operative position. The material of whichthe casing isformed is made suiiciently flexible so that an 'inward pressure upon anyside of the casing adjacent the' slotv 21 therein will be transmittedthrough the fianges 22 to the rollers engaged thereby and, .owing t othe inwardly con` verging relation of the inner sides of the compartmentin which vsaid rollers are mounted, it will be obvious that thispressure will force the rollers into tighter engagement vwith each otherand that this enanges 22. 4 n In accordance with the present invention asafety razor blade 23 or the like is adapted to have the edge tosharpened inserted through any one of the slots 21 into engagement withthe set of rollers in the compartment in which said slot is formed sothat edge will come into engagement with the rollers at their point ofcontact. In this manner the edge of the blade to be sharpened will beinterposed between said rollers and owing to the eonvexity of thelatter, 1tu will be obvious thatv as the blade is reciprocated back andforth longitudinally in the slot 21 the rollers will effect a sharpeningof the blade by imparting a hollow ground edge thereto, as clearly shownin Figure 6. The invention further provides means for holding the bladewhile being sharpened s o that the blade will be maintained in aposition perpendicular to the plane extending through the axes of therollers and interv secting the point of Contact therebetween.

In Figure 7 a holder 24 is shown for a blade 25 of a well known make,which blade is provided with one or more openings 26 therein. The holderis formed from a single sheet of suitable material, such as metal,

vbent upon itself and having its bent portion spaced suiiciently apartto receive the blade 25 therebetween. One sideof the holder is providedwith one or more projections 27 corresponding in number to the number ofopenings 26 in the razor blade and adapted to project through saidopenings and in to oppositely disposed openings 28 formed 1n theopposite side of the holder. The free edges 29 of the holder 24 arecurved outwardly, as clearly shown in the various figures, and aredesigned to engage the side of the casing 10 adjacent the longitudinalslot 21. It will be apparent that, when the blade to .be sharpened isinserted into the slot 21 and the edges 29 of the holder engage with theside of the casing adjacent the edges of said slot, inward pressureexerted upon the l holder will be transmitted to the rollers through theflanges 22 and in this manner the rollers will be caused to engagetheedge of the blade to be sharpened with the def sired pressure. Theholder and blade may then b'e reciprocated between the rollers andlongitudinally of the slot 21 until a suitable edge has been formed uponthe blade. After a blade has been' sharpened by one set of rollers thesame may be withdrawn and the device turned in the hand to presentanother set of rollers uppermost and the yoperation above described maythen be repeated.

The holder 30 shown in Figure 8 is of substantially the sameconstruction as the holder 24 and simply shows a slightly differentdesign which will accommodate a blade 3l diflering in construction fromthe blade 25.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the casing 32 isagain of rectangular formation and made of material having at least aslight degree of iiexibility.

In c'ontradistinction to the construction shown in Figure 1 the casing32 is provided in one side thereof with a longitudinal slot 33. In thisinstance the ends of the casing 32 have mounted thereina rotatable shaft34, one end of which projects beyond 'the adjacent end of the casing andhas mounted 37, 38, 39 and 40are mounted in the plates l 36 in suchmanner that the same will have a slight lateral movement relative toeach other and to their longitudinal axes. Each set of rollers ismounted in a compartment formed by the inwardly converging and radiallydisposed partitions 41 which aid in supporting the rollers in theiroperative positions. When a set of the rollers, such as the set 38, isin operative position with respect to t-he slot 33 the flanges 42 formedby the inturned `longitudinal edges of said slot engage the rollers sothat when pressure is exerted upon the holder 24 the rollers will beforced into tight engagement with the blade to be sharpened aspreviously described.

In order that any set of rollers may be held in proper position withrespect to the slot 33 and prevented from displacement relative to suchposition by an accidental rotation. of the shaft 34, a latch 43 securedto i each endJ of the casing 32 is engaged with any one of the series ofnotches 44 'formed in the periphery ot' the adjacent disk or plate 36the spring thus yicldably retaining the disk stationary.

In Figure 5 the casing 45 is also rectangular in formation, but iselongated in cross section as compared to the casings 10 and 32 so thatthe various sets of rollers 46, 47, 48 and 49, similar to the setspreviously described may be arranged in horizontal alignment across theinterior of the casing. Again these sets of rollers. are journaled inthe easing sothat the rollers of each set have a slight movementrelative to each other and the contacting surfaces of each set aredisposed directly beneath a suitable slot 50 extending longitudinallythrough the top of the casing. The rollers of each set are mountedbetween two downwardly converging partitions 51 which aid in supportingsaid rollers and which cause the same to be forced into tight engagementwith each other when downward pressure is exerted upon the rollers bythe insertion of a razor blade into the associated slot 50. Preferablythe adjacent intermediate portions are formed of single sheets ofsuitable material bent into inverted V shape, as clearly shown in Figure5.

The sets of steel rollers 18, SSand 47 may be provided, at suitableintervals, with annular grooves 52 Whichpermt ofthe escape from betweenthe rollers of minute shavings from the razor blade as the latter isreciprovmounted in said-compartment and engaged by said inturned flangesso that When pressure is exerted upon the latter said rollers will beforced into tight engagementwvith each other by Athe inclination of saidpartitions relative to each other.

2. In a razor blade sharpening device, a

casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a

rotatable shaft extending through said cassaid partitions and capable ofbeing brought into registration with the slot in said casing by rotationof said shaft.

3. In a. razor blade sharpening device, a casing having a. longitudinalslot therein, a rotatable shaft extending through said casing, diskscarried'by said shaft, radially disposed partitions extending betweensaid disk to form compartments, a set of rollers Supported in eachcompartment by said partitions and capable of being brought intoregistration with the-slot in said casing by rotation of said shaftbandmeans engageable with said disks to yieldably maintain each set 'ofrollers in operative position with respect to said slot. f s e Intestimony whereof I have ailixed my signature.

RUDOLPH (1G, STAATS-OELS.

